Several epidemiological studies have been performed to evaluate the association of fruit and vegetable consumption with risk of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), but the results remain controversial. ...Thus, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis to assess the associations of fruit or/and vegetable consumption with risk of MetS, separately.
We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases up to July 2017 for relevant available articles. Pooled OR with 95 % CI were calculated with the fixed- or random-effects model.
A total of nine studies for fruit consumption, nine studies for vegetable consumption and seven studies for fruit and vegetable consumption were identified as eligible for the present meta-analysis. The pooled OR (95 % CI) of MetS for the highest v. lowest category were 0·87 (0·82, 0·92; I 2=46·7 %) for fruit consumption, 0·85 (0·80, 0·91; I 2=0·0 %) for vegetable consumption and 0·76 (0·62, 0·93; I 2=83·5 %) for fruit and vegetable consumption. In subgroup analyses stratified by continent where the study was conducted, the inverse association of fruit consumption (0·86 (0·77, 0·96)) and vegetable consumption (0·86 (0·80, 0·92)) with risk of MetS remained significant in Asia. There was no evidence of small-study effect.
Our meta-analysis indicates that fruit or/and vegetable consumption may be inversely associated with risk of MetS. It suggests that people should consume more fruits and vegetables to decrease the risk of MetS.
Aim
A meta‐analysis was conducted to quantitatively summarize the evidence from observational studies on alcohol consumption and risk of periodontitis.
Material and Methods
A comprehensive literature ...search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase databases to identify eligible studies published in English. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by random‐effects models. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess the dose–response relationship.
Results
Eighteen studies were included in our meta‐analysis. The pooled RR of periodontitis for the highest with the lowest alcohol consumption was 1.59 (95% CI: 1.37–1.85). Significant associations were also found in stratified analysis by gender males: (1.25, 95% CI: 1.11–1.41), females (2.15, 95% CI: 1.36–3.41) and study design cohort studies: 1.28 (1.04–1.57) and cross‐sectional studies: 1.66 (1.39–1.99). A linear dose–response relationship was found between alcohol consumption and periodontitis risk, and the risk of periodontitis increased by 0.4% 95% CI (1.002–1.007) (p = 0.002) for each 1 g/day increment in alcohol consumption.
Conclusion
This meta‐analysis suggested that alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of periodontitis.
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BFBNIB, CMK, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The development of new materials and the understanding of the microstructure formation of electrodes have become increasingly important for improving Li-ion battery performance. In this study, we ...investigate the effect of solid content on the rheological properties of and the microstructures in the cathode slurry prepared from Ni-rich materials. With long-chain structures, PVDF molecules can change their configurations when they come into contact with the solid particles in slurries, and their bridging function can change with the solid content in the slurry. Below the optimum content, particle sedimentation easily takes place. Above the optimum content, excessive yield stress is created in the slurry, and this stress is not conducive to homogeneous distribution of the components. The rheological properties of the slurries vary greatly under different solid contents. We investigated the uniformity and stability of the slurry prepared from Ni-rich materials and found that the most suitable solid content of the slurry lies in the range from 63.9% to 66.3%. Our work might assist in the production of high-performance Li-ion batteries that are made using an electrode slurry.
There are three main situations in which the uniformity and microstructure of the slurry change with the solid content.
Regenerative medicine has become one of the hottest research topics in medical science that provides a promising way for repairing tissue defects in the human body. Due to their excellent ...physicochemical properties, the application of 2D nanomaterials in regenerative medicine has gradually developed and has been attracting a wide range of research interests in recent years. In particular, graphene and its derivatives, black phosphorus, and transition metal dichalcogenides are applied in all the aspects of tissue engineering to replace or restore tissues. This review focuses on the latest advances in the application of 2D‐nanomaterial‐based hydrogels, nanosheets, or scaffolds that are engineered to repair skin, bone, and cartilage tissues. Reviews on other applications, including cardiac muscle regeneration, skeletal muscle repair, nerve regeneration, brain disease treatment, and spinal cord healing are also provided. The challenges and prospects of applications of 2D nanomaterials in regenerative medicine are discussed.
2D nanomaterial‐based therapeutic strategies applied in tissue engineering and regenerative nanomedicines are discussed. Recent advances in the application of 2D nanomaterial‐based hydrogels, nanosheets, scaffolds, or drug delivery systems that engineered to repair skin, bone, cartilage, and other types of tissues are discussed along with the current challenges and future prospects.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Low-work-function (WF) metals (including silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), and copper (Cu)) used as external cathodes in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) encounter oxidation caused by air exposure ...and halogen-diffusion-induced corrosion, which threaten the long-term stability of the device. The cathode interlayer (CIL) has shown promise in reducing the metal WF and thus boosting the device power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, it remains a challenge for current CIL materials to enable high-WF metals (e.g., Au) to be used as cathodes to achieve PSCs with a superior PCE and long-term stability. Here, we use a series of synthesized (carbolong-derived) organometallic complexes as CILs to tune the electrode WF in inverted PSCs. Density functional theory calculations and surface characterizations show that the organometallic complexes that contain anions and cations are prone to form anion–cation dipoles on the metal surface, hence drastically reducing the metal’s WF. Photovoltaic devices based on a Ag cathode, which was modified with these organometallic complexes, received a boosted PCE up to 21.29% and a remarkable fill factor that reached 83.52%, which are attributed to the dipole-enhanced carrier transport. The environmental stability of PSCs was further improved after employing Au as a cathode with these organometallic complexes, and the modified devices exhibited no efficiency loss after 4080 h storage measurements.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Tin–lead (Sn–Pb) narrow‐bandgap (NBG) perovskites show great potential in both single‐junction and all‐perovskite tandem solar cells. Sn–Pb perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are still limited by low ...charge collection efficiency and poor stability. Here, a ternary Sn (II) alloy of SnOCl is reported as the hole‐transport material (HTM) with a work function of 4.95 eV for Sn–Pb PSCs. The solution‐processed SnOCl layer has a texture structure that not only reduces the optical loss of the devices, but also changes grain growth of Sn–Pb perovskites and boosts the carrier diffusion length to 3.63 µm. The formation of small perovskite grains at the HTM/perovskite interface is suppressed. These result in an almost constant internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 96 ± 2% across the absorption spectrum of Sn–Pb perovskites. The SnOCl HTM significantly enhances the stability of Sn–Pb PSCs with 87% of its initial efficiency retained after 1‐sun illumination for 1200 h, and keeps 85% efficiency under 85 °C thermal stress for 1500 h. The hybrid HTM further improves the stabilized efficiencies of single‐junction Sn–Pb PSCs and all‐perovskite tandem solar cells to 23.2% and 25.9%, respectively. This discovery opens an avenue to the multicomponent metal alloys as HTM in PSCs.
A solution‐processed SnOCl ternary tin (II) alloy as hole‐transport material (HTM) for Sn–Pb perovskite solar cells is reported, which results in efficiencies of 23.2% and 26.3% for Sn–Pb single‐junction and all‐perovskite tandem cells, respectively. Greatly enhanced light stabilities with T87 of >1200 h and 85 °C thermal stability with T85 of >1500 h are achieved by using the SnOCl HTM.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of tumor-related death worldwide due to high morbidity and mortality, yet lacking effective biomarkers and therapies. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are ...a group of non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through interacting with miRNAs, implicating in the tumorigenesis and progression. A novel circRNA, circTP63, was reported to be an oncogene in HCC. However, its role in HCC remains unclear.
qRT-PCR was used to assess the mRNA levels of CircTP63 in 90 pairs of tumor and adjacent normal tissues from HCC patients, one human normal hepatic epithelial cell line and HCC cell lines. CCK-8, colony formation, transwell, and flow cytometry assays were performed to detect the cellular function of circTP63/miR-155-5p/ZBTB18 in HCC cells. HCC xenograft mice models were established to assess the in vivo effect of circTP63. Bioinformatic analysis, RNA pull-down and luciferase assays were used to determine the interaction among circTP63/miR-155-5p/ZBTB18.
circTP63 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. High circTP63 expression is closely associated with the tumor stages, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis of HCC patients. Functionally, knockdown of circTP63 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and promoted cell apoptosis of HCC. Meanwhile, overexpression of circTP63 enhanced HCC progression. Mechanically, circTP63 was a sponge of miR-155-5p to facilitate the ZBTB18 expression, and the ZBTB18 expression in HCC tissues was negatively associated with the survival rate of HCC patients. Furthermore, rescued assays revealed that the reduced tumor-promoting effect on HCC cells induced by knockdown of circTP63 can be reversed by miR-155-5p inhibitor or ZBTB18 overexpression.
Our data highlight a critical circTP63-miR-155-5p-ZBTB18 regulatory network involved in the HCC progression, gaining mechanistic insights into the function of circRNAs in HCC progression, and providing effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC treatment.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
To analyze the factors influencing myopia and construct a nomogram to forecast the risk of myopia among school-age children, providing a reference for identifying high-risk groups to aid prevention ...and control.
This case-control study enrolled 3512 students from three primary schools in Shenzhen using random cluster sampling for a questionnaire survey, myopia screening and ocular biometric parameter measurement. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of myopia, and a nomogram was constructed to forecast myopia risk. Bootstrap resampling was used to verify the practicability of the nomogram.
Older age (odds ratioOR = 1.164; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.111-1.219), female sex (OR = 2.405; 95% CI: 2.003-2.887), maternal myopia (OR = 1.331; 95% CI: 1.114-1.589), incorrect posture during reading and writing (OR = 1.283; 95% CI: 1.078-1.528) and axial length (OR = 7.708; 95% CI: 6.044-8.288) are risk factors for myopia, whereas an increase in corneal radius (OR = 0.036; 95% CI: 0.025-0.052) is a protective factor against myopia. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the nomogram was 0.857, and the net benefit was high when the risk threshold of the decision curve analyses (DCA) ranged from 0.20 to 1.00. The measured values were consistent with the prediction.
The nomogram was accurate in predicting the risk of myopia among schoolchildren. This study provides a reference for screening high-risk students and for individualized myopia prevention and control.
Abstract Objective Influenza A virus is a cytolytic virus that induces apoptosis in numerous cell types. However, molecular mechanism of cell apoptosis induced by influenza A virus is not well ...understood. The present study was aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of miR-34a involved in influenza A virus induced apoptosis. Methods Firstly, microRNA array was used to select miRNAs involved in influenza A virus infection. Then, Luciferase reporter assay and western blot were carried to determine the target gene of miR-34a. Finally, miR-34a mimic was transfected in influenza A virus-infected A549 cells, and western blot was used to test the function of miR-34a and its target gene in in influenza A virus infection. Results miR-34a was found significantly down-regulated in influenza A virus-infected A549 cells and was further confirmed by qRT-PCR in vitro and in vivo (P < 0.01). Next, transfection miR-34 mimic/inhibitor in influenza A virus-infected A549 cells showed that overexpression of miR-34a could inhibit influenza virus-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, target prediction analysis revealed that miR-34a complemented to the 3′-UTR of Bax mRNA. Luciferase reporter assay and western blot confirm that miR-34a directly targeted Bax. Moreover, we detected influenza virus infection enhanced the luciferase reporter translational activity in A549 cells transfected with the construct with Bax 3′-UTR encoding miR-34a binding site. However, western blot analysis showed that the up-regulation of Bax protein level was significantly reversed by overexpression miR-34a. Conclusion It is, therefore, concluded that influenza virus infection regulated pro-apoptotic Bax expression through miR-34a downregulation, which might be the partial mechanism of influenza virus-induced cell apoptosis.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
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